The present invention was developed to provide a solution to the high cost in servicing and maintaining the braking system of a garbage truck. As an example, one municipal authority indicated that a typical single front axle, tandem rear axle, garbage truck having a tare weight of over 11,500 kg, with 419 mm×152 mm (6″) S-cam brake drums on the front axle, and 419 mm×178 mm (7″) S-cam brake drums on the rear axle, requires a rear brake overhaul every six months, and a front brake overhaul every 12 months. This maintenance schedule incurs an annual cost in the order of US$6,000-US$8,700.
While the present invention was developed to reduce braking system maintenance costs for a garbage truck, embodiments of the invention are not limited to such applications. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to other vehicles including other types of truck or heavy vehicle such as buses irrespective of whether a braking profile for the truck comprises a relatively large number of braking events.